Radicalisation

I find it really difficult to accept that there is a real movement to destabilise opinion in relation to trans people. I have come across an academic article published in the International Journal of Sociology written by Craig McLean entitled the “The Growth of the Anti-Transgender Movement in the United Kingdom. The Silent Radicalization of the British Electorate”.   The heading of the article states:- “The article examines the development of anti-transgender debates within the UK which have gained traction due to proposed amendments to the Gender Recognition Act. A group of determined lobby groups, taking their lead from like-minded organisations in the United States, has protested vigorously against the proposed changes to the GRA, especially with respect to single-sex spaces. As a result of the furore, the lives of transgender people have become the subject of open debate. Trans people now see their legitimacy questioned, and their ability to access services increasingly being placed under the microscope. This article argues that the literature on radicalization- developed in response to terrorism- can explain these developments. UK Lobby Groups are successfully pushing a radical agenda to deny the basic rights of trans people and are doing so under the cover of “free speech- a sacrosanct element of Anglo Saxon Countries.”

A Trans activist, Katy Montgomerie, has challenged Gender Critical people to state what they consider will be the result of the proposed changes as it would appear that in reality there is little understanding of what the proposed changes would have meant. She has written an article  for medium.com “Gender Critical People don’t even know what the GRA is “. She has also produced a “fun chart” showing what the proposed reforms would do.  In it she shows that the main points of contention to allow trans women to use women’s toilets and changing rooms, to allow trans women access to women’s shelters, to allow trans women to compete in women’s sports, to determine which prison trans women goes to are all already legislated for. These are all already covered by the Equality Act 2010.  

The Gender Critical are mounting Judicial Reviews to try and reinterpret the Equality Act. So far their efforts have all failed catastrophically with judges saying their arguments have no basis in law and are completely without merit.

The Green Party (England and Wales) have got themselves in a twist having published their position which contained transphobic content only to have the Scottish Greens denouncing it  and then the Green Party (England and Wales) to come out and say that what was published had been published before it had been considered and approved by the appropriate sub-committee.

As the Young Greens said they “stand in unwavering solidarity with trans and non-binary people, and celebrates that trans men are men and that trans women are women and non-binary identities are valid. There is no debate about people’s identity, or human rights”. As it should be.